This item ranks right up there with the "qStart," that device that reminds you which side of the road to drive on.

The "StrikeAlert" describes itself as "the world's first convenient, dependable and easy-to-use personal lightning detector." During a thunderstorm it supposedly gauges the distance of lightning based on the decibel level of their crackle up to 40 miles away, according to OhGizmo.

Forgive us, but we must ask: Do we really need a gadget to tell us that lightning is approaching? Would it not be more prudent, say, to just weather the storm indoors? The $80 it costs to get one of these, in our opinion, would be better spent on an AM radio, canned food and a deck of cards.